The invention concerns a water separating device, in particular of a filter element, in particular of a fuel filter of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, for separating water from a liquid hydrocarbon, in particular fuel or oil, which comprises a coalescing medium, designed as a hollow body, for coalescing water droplets from the liquid hydrocarbon and further comprises, in flow direction of the liquid hydrocarbon downstream of the coalescing medium and, for example, in its interior or surrounding it, a hydrophobic separating medium, designed as a hollow body and permeable for the liquid hydrocarbon, for separating water droplets contained within the liquid hydrocarbon.
Moreover, the invention concerns a filter element of a fuel filter of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising a water separating device for filtering a liquid fuel and for separating water from the fuel.
Moreover, the invention concerns a fuel filter of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing comprising at least one fuel inlet for the fuel to be purified, at least one fuel outlet for purified fuel, and at least one water outlet for water separated from the fuel.
US 2008/0105629 A1 discloses a water/fuel separating system for removal of water from a liquid hydrocarbon. The water/fuel separating system comprises a filter housing and a separating section which is arranged in the filter housing. At the separating section, water droplets contained in the hydrocarbon are retained and separated.
It is the object of the invention to design a water separating device, a filter element, and a fuel filter of the aforementioned kind with which a separation of water from liquid hydrocarbons can be improved. Moreover, a pressure difference between an inlet side of the liquid hydrocarbon into the water separating device and an outlet side is to be preferably reduced.